Patsy Abrahams with her Garryowen sash at the Royal Melbourne Show n 1962. Mrs Abrahams has a scrap book and photo album recording her win. She still has the sash.
Out of the ashes of tragedy, much joy has sprung, at the Royal Melbourne Show.
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In 1932, accomplished horsewoman Violet Murrell perished while trying to save her beloved saddle horse, Garryowen from a stable fire.
A special annual award was established at the Melbourne Show for the best equestrian turnout, in memory of 29-year-old Violet.
The award will be presented on Friday, October 4 and Ardmona woman Patsy Abrahams will be showing more than a casual interest in the event.
Mrs Abrahams was the 1962 winner of the prestigious event on her horse Windy Wold.
Like Mrs Murrell, Mrs Abrahams was an accomplished racing rider and they were both prevented from riding against men in the major metropolitan meetings. They both had the support of their husbands and although only in their 20s, both had considerable success at country race meetings.
It wasn’t until the 1980s that women were allowed to compete in major race meetings against men and not until 2015 that a woman, Michelle Payne, rode a Melbourne Cup winner.
Patsy Abrahams at her Ardmona home with her Norfolk Terrier.
In 1962, Mrs Abrahams was not in a particularly good mood, when she went into the ring.
Her champion, 15.2 hands chestnut, Windy Wold had failed to get even a placing in show events a few days before. And, after being first to step out into the arena in the turn-out competition, she had to wait about three hours on the arena for the other competitors to finish.
But when her number was called as the winner, she could hardly believe it, and checked with the other riders to work out who they were talking about.
Mrs Abrahams was running a standardbred stud with her husband Kevin at Riddell’s Creek.
She enjoyed competing in picnic race events run in places like Alexandra and was a member of the Oaklands Hunt Club.
Patsy Abrahams returning to scale at an Alexandra picnic race event more than 50 years ago.
As time has passed, Mrs Abrahams believes some rules with the Garryowen have made competing a little easier, and in other ways the reputation has grown and added more pressure to the event.
“We all knew what it was about and we all wanted to win, of course, but it was not so serious,” she said.
Competitors have always been able to borrow a horse for the event and in Mrs Abraham’s day the choice was sometimes left to the last minute.
Some riders ended up borrowing thoroughbreds, some of which did not take too well to the arena and Mrs Abrahams recalled her friends making bets on who would fall off.
“I didn’t have to borrow anything, just a pair of stirrup leathers,” she said.
There is still some borrowing of outfits for the modern day Garryowen as a full kit can set competitors back thousands of dollars.
Mrs Abrahams now lives in Ardmona, near her son’s trotting stud, and has several daughters who enjoy riding and it’s her hope that one of them may compete in the same event she won, 60 years ago.
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